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Nicholas A. Heineman

Nicholas Anthony Heineman, 92, of Palm Coast, Florida, and formerly of Stamford, Connecticut, passed away suddenly on March 17, 2021.

Healthy and vibrant until the end, he passed quickly, peacefully and without pain.

He was born on March 12, 1929, in White Plains, New York, the son of Anthony Torres and Theresa Marie (Catucci) Heineman.

With their parents’ early divorce, Nick and sister Betty were separated and put into the foster care system. He was fortunate to find himself in some healthy, nurturing environments where he developed his love of the outdoors with a passion for fishing and seeing all people that crossed his path as equals.

With his mother’s second marriage to Albert Heineman, who adopted Nick, they would settle in New Canaan, Connecticut. He had fond memories of his family life and their home with its orchards, chickens and gardens providing food for those in need during World War II. It was on the hills of this property that he first started what would become another great passion of his, skiing.

He graduated from New Canaan (Connecticut) High School in 1947 and Wilkes College in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania in 1951, and served in the infantry in Korea 1951-1953. He got recognitions as a marksman in the Army, and as a great high school and college wrestler and football player.

After serving in Korea, he started work at Conway Import Co. Inc., a manufacturer of fine dressings and sauces for food service. As president and a third-generation owner of Conway, he navigated the company through the many ups and downs the economy and industry would challenge him and his team with. He was delighted to have all four sons working at the family business.

Nick met Barbara, his future wife, on a White Plains Ski Club trip, where he was the president. They wed on April 28, 1956, in Hudson, New York, and began one of the most amazing partnerships of love that carried on to their final days together before Alzheimer’s took her away in 2015.

Nick and Barbara settled into their Stamford home, where they would reside for the next 40 years, raising their four sons. Prior to that, while renting a small house in Ardsley, New York (where their first two were born), they bought their first house, a small cottage in Wilmington, New York, in 1958. This weekend get-away was in the heart of New York’s Adirondack State Park and home to Whiteface Mountain. Here Nick and family loved to hike, paddle, fish and ski. They especially enjoyed their winters skiing with friends and family at Whiteface and the apres ski gatherings at Steinhoff’s.

They also loved the tranquility found on Saranac Lake, where they camped annually well into their retirement years. Their Adirondack highlight was being there as spectators for most of the events at the 1980 Olympic Winter Olympics in Lake Placid.

Skiing, camping, fishing, boating, weightlifting, sports car racing, hunting, flying, his longtime membership at the Campfire Club in Chappaqua, New York (1968-2021) and loving family and friends contributed to his long, healthy life that we were certain would take him to 100 and beyond. He loved people and spread smiles and joy wherever he went. Moreover, all who knew him adored him for the good man he was.

Nick lived a full life, including spending his last week in the Caribbean celebrating his 92nd birthday with the woman who brought him great joy in his final years. May we all be as blessed as he was.

Survivors include his 94-year-old sister, Betty Glinert; three sons, Brett of Carmel, New York, Scott (Ann) of Arlington Heights, Illinois, and Gregg (Sally) of Hawthorn Woods, Illinois; seven grandchildren, Katie, Nicholas, David, Sarah, Andrew, Nicole and Austin; and great-granddaughter Riley.

In addition to his wife Barbara Lee (Thorn) Heineman, Nick was predeceased by his son Keith; mother Theresa Marie (Catucci) Heineman (at 100); biological father Anthony Torres; adoptive father Albert Philip Heineman; and daughter-in-law Bonnie Topp Heineman.

The family is planning a celebration of both Barbara and Nick Heineman’s lives at a later date once COVID-19 restrictions allow.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Nick’s memory to The Nature Conservancy Adirondacks, P.O. Box 65, Keene Valley, NY 12983.

Online tributes and condolences may be made at: www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/flagler-beach-fl/nicholas-heineman-10110110.

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